Secure the soul: Christian piety and gang prevention in Guatemala

301 Pages·2015·1.613 MB·English

by  O'Neill, Kevin Lewis

Secure the Soul
Christian Piety and Gang Prevention
in Guatemala
Kevin Lewis O’Neill
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
Secure the Soul

Secure the Soul
Christian Piety and Gang Prevention
in Guatemala
Kevin Lewis O’Neill
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS
University of California Press, one of the most
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University of California Press
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© 2015 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
O’Neill, Kevin Lewis, 1977– author.
Secure the soul : christian piety and gang prevention in
guatemala / Kevin Lewis O’Neill.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-520-27848-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
isbn 978-0-520-27849-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
isbn 978-0-520-96009-1 (ebook)
1. Gang prevention—Guatemala— Guatemala.
2. Church and social problems—Guatemala—
Guatemala. I. Title.
HV6439.G92G923 2015
364.4—dc23 2014024593
Manufactured in the United States of America
24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In keeping with a commitment to support
environmentally responsible and sustainable printing
practices, UC Press has printed this book on Natures
Natural, a fi ber that contains 30% post-consumer waste
and meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso
z39.48–1992 (r 1997) (Permanence of Paper).
To Sridhar, to Usha
For Archana, for Ignatius

Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Prologue 1
Introduction 9
Forgiveness 25
1. Insecurities 33
Hamsters 58
2. Reality 65
Pangs 89
3. A Calling 96
Service 120
4. Left Behind 127
Captivity 151
5. Forsaken 158
Adrift 182
Epilogue 193
Acknowledgments 195
Appendix: Notes on Research 201
Notes 205
Reference List 247
Index 277

Illustrations
1. La quema del diablo / 2
2. The daily news / 10
3. Los desaparecidos / 14
4. Guatemala City, Zona 3 / 16
5. Grim reaper / 21
6. Prisoner transport vehicle, Pavoncito / 35
7. Pavón / 44
8. Siman department store / 73
9. Hotel Camino Real, Guatemala City / 77
10. Call center signage / 107
11. La Paloma / 128
12. Barey, North Carolina / 133
13. Captive / 159
14. Forsaken / 180
15. Walking / 183
ix